Can Men Get Breast Cancer?

male breast cancer risk factors

The causes of most breast cancers in men is unknown; all we know is that some risk factors can increase a man's chances of developing it. Consequently, there is no way it can be prevented.

While some men who have many breast cancer risk factors never develop it, you should still be aware of them. Here are some of them:

Aging: The average age of men at the time of diagnosis is 65 years, but younger men can still get it, so check for lumps regularly.

Family history of breast cancer: Approximately 20% of men with breast cancer have close relatives — male or female — who have the disease.

Physical inactivity and obesity: Since fat cells convert male hormones into female hormones, obese men have higher levels of estrogens, which can increase their risk for breast cancer.

Alcohol: Heavy drinkers are more at risk of developing this disease.

Liver disease: Since the liver plays an important role in metabolizing sex hormones, men with severe liver diseases like cirrhosis have lower levels of male and higher levels of female hormones.

Radiation exposure: Patients who have been exposed to radiation in the chest, generally to treat another type of cancer such as Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma, are more at risk.

Klinefelter's syndrome: Men with this condition, which is present at birth in about one in 1,000 men, have an extra X chromosome. Therefore, they have lower levels of male hormones and higher levels of estrogen.

Estrogen treatment: Men with prostate cancer sometimes have to take estrogen as hormonal therapy, which may slightly increase their breast cancer risk.

male breast cancer symptoms

If you have any of the following symptoms, consult your doctor immediately:

A lump in the breast

Swelling

Skin dimpling or puckering

Redness or scaling of the skin of the nipple or breast

Nipple discharge

Nipple retraction (turning inward)

However, keep in mind that most breast lumps in males are due to gynecomastia, a non-cancerous breast tumor, so there's no need to panic if you do find a lump.

male breast cancer diagnosis

There are several ways of and steps in diagnosing male breast cancer:

Complete medical history: Your doctor will gather information on your personal and family medical history to determine if you have risk factors.

Clinical breast exam: A clinical breast exam allows your doctor to determine whether there is a lump and, if so, to feel its texture and size. He will also evaluate your overall physical condition.